Piano attachment



- June 30, 1931. lN, MEDNIKOFF PIANO ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 12. 1929 ATTOR N EYS W|TNESSES MLM/f f fw,

Patented June 30, 1931 PATENT OFFICE NICOLAI MEDNKOFF, GF SCARSDALE, NEW YORK PIANO ATTACHMENT Application filed December 12, 1929. Serial No. 413,864.

This invention relates to an attachment for pianos, and comprehends particularly an attachment for the pedals which is especially designed to afford a means for facilitating the operation of the pedals by a child or small person who is unable to reach the pedals.

It has been observed that small children or persons whose feet cannot reach the pedals j of a piano are handicapped in that they are 10 unable to give the proper tone expression to the music or, as students, to properly learn the use of the pedals.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a pedal attachment by virtue of which the smallest child or person capable of playing a piano is provided with means for actuating the pedals.

The invention further comprehends a piano attachment which aords a foot rest in 20 conjunction with the pedal operating attachment to avoid fatigue which would otherwise result from the failure to provide a. rest for the feet.

More specifically, the invention comprehends a piano attachment in which both the pedal actuatingr means and the foot rests are capable of a wide range of adjustment to compensate for variations in the size of the individual using the same.

As a further feature, the invention resides in the provisionr of an attachment of the character-set forth which is mounted or supported in such a manner that it may be moved to an out-of-the-way concealed position when not in active use, whereby to avoid its interference with the playing of the piano by persons who do not require its use and wherein it does not detract from the appearance of the instrument.

Other objects of the invention reside in the simplicity of construction and mode of use of the attachment, the economy with which it may be produced and the general eiiiciency derived therefrom. 45 Vith the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the claims define the actual scope of the same.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary front View illustrating one of the pedal attachments in applied position.

Figure 2 is a side view of the pedal attachment applied.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 3*?) in Figure l.

Figure t is an enlarged horizontal view taken approximately on the line indicated at 4 4 in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, A designates t-he keyboard of a piano, B the lower front panel thereof and C one of the pedals. The attachment constituting the present invention consists of a vertical upstanding actuating bar 5 which is provided at its lower end with a pedal engaging element 6 adapted to snugly fit over 7 the piano pedal C. In order to supporty and guide the actuating bar 5, a tubular vertically disposed member 7 depends from the under side of the keyboard A and snugly receives the actuating bar 5 for telescopic movement within the member 7. The supporting and guiding member 7 is pivotally attached as at 8 to a depending bracket 9 from a base l() which is hingedly connected at 1l to a stationary bracket l2 attached to the under side of the keyboard A by suitable anchoring devices, such as the screws 13. The axis of the pivot 8 is disposed approximately at a right angle to the axis of the hinge 11, whereby the supporting and guiding member 7 may swing forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the bracket 9 and whereby he base l() may be swung laterally or transversely of the piano. An auxiliary actuating pedal lll is mounted for sliding movement over the member 7 and is provided with a spring pressed bolt 15 on its under side which is normally urged by a spring 16 into one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced keeper openings 17 formed in the actuating bar 5, it being understood that the member 7 is longitudinally slotted as at 7 a to accommodate the bolt 15.- Under this construction and arrangement, it is obvious that the` auxiliary actuating pedal 14 may be vertically adjusted in connected relation with the actuating bar 5 t0 dispose said auxiliary pedal at an appropriate height to suit the size of the individual using the piano. In use, the spring (not shown) which normally moves the pedal C upwardly also functions to lift or elevate the actuating bar 'and auxiliary actuating pedal 14 and, obviously, the player depresses the piano pedal C through the medium ofthe auxiliary pedal 141 and the actuating bar 5, it being understood that the actuating bar and auxiliary pedal are guided in their movements by the supporting and guiding member v'l'.

In order to provide a foot rest for the player to take the place of the floor, a foot rest element 18 is provided which is carried by a bracket arm 19 'and which is `attached to said bracket arm for angular adjustment by means of a suitable bolt 20. The bracket arm 19 protrudes from a tubular base 21 which is vertically slidable and adjustable on the supporting and guidi-ng member 7,'a. set screw 22 being provided for retaining the bracket arm base 21 in its vertically adjusted position.

When the attachment is not in use, it may be swung from its active Vfull line position to the d-otted line position illustrated in Figure 1, where it underlies the keyboard A and is disposed in a concealed out-of-the-way position so as to avoid interference with the pla-ying of the piano by persons who do not require the attachment. A suitable latch 23 is provided to engage with the member 7 and support the same in the inactive position as shown.

From the `foregoing, it will thus be seenV that a pedal attachment for pianos has 'been devised by virtue of which small children or persons may conveniently vactuate or learn to operate vpiano pedals for rendering the desired tone expression to the music.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a piano of a pedal attachment therefor including pedal actu ating means extending upwardly from the piano pedals and a men'iber for supporting and guiding said actuating means, carried by and depending from the under side of kthe keyboard, and means for mounting said supporting and guiding member for lateral upward swinging movement with respect tothe keyboard to an out-of-the-way position substantially parallel to and underneath lthe keyboard.

2.' rThe combination with a piano of a pedal attachment therefor including pedal actuating means extending upwardly from the piano pedals, a member for support-ing and guiding said actuating means, carried by and depending from the under side of the keyboard, and means for mounting said sup porting and guiding member for lateral upward swinging movementwith respect to the keyboard to an out-of-'the-way position parallel to and underneath the keyboard, and

means on the under side of the keyboard adapted to coact with said member Jfor supporting the same' in said out-of-the-way position.

3. rlhe combination with a piano of a pedal attachment therefor including pedal actuating means extending upwardly from the piano pedals consisting of a bar having a piano pedal embracing device at its lower end and a supplemental actuating pedal entirely carried thereby adjacent its upper end.

4. The combination with a piano of a pedal attachment therefor including pedal actuating means extending upwardly from the piano pedals consisting of `a bar having a piano pedal embracing dev-ice at its lowerend and a supplemental actuating pedalentirely carried by said bar adjacent its upper end for vertical adj ust-ment with respect thereto.

5. The combination with a piano of a pedal attachment therefor including pedal actuating means rextending upwardly from the piano pedals consisting of a vbar having a pia-no pedal embracing device at `its lower end and a supplemental Aactuating pedal entirely carried by said bar adjacent its upper end for vertical adjustment, a supporting and guidii'ig member ttor said actuating means carried by and depending from the under side of the piano keyboard and a `foot rest vertically ladjustable, on Asaid member.

6. An attachment for piano pedals including a depending tubular guide member carried by the under side of the Apiano keyboard having a` longitudinal slot, a pedal actuating bar telescopically slidable 'therein having 'a piano pedal embracing device at its 'lower end and a series of vertically spaced keeper openings adjacent its upperend and a Vsupplemental actuating pedal having a spring pressed bolt selectively enga-geable with the keeper openings through the slotted portion of the tubular member to provide a vertically adjustable step. A

7. An attachment for piano pedals including a depending tubular guide member carried by the under side of the pianov keyboard having a longitudinal slot, a pedal actuating bar telescopically slidable the-rein having a pianoV pedal embracing device at its lower end-and a series of vertically spaced keeper openings yadjacent its 1upper fend, a supplemental actuating pedal lhaving a Aspring pressed bolt selectively engageable with lthe keeper open-ings through the slotted portion of the tubular member to provide a vertically adjustable step and a foot rest verticallyy adjustable on the tubular member coincident with said supplemental `actuating pedal.

NICOLAI MEDNIK'OFF.

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